As the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot forget that hurricane season will soon be upon us. Several forecasters are predicting it will be more active than normal for both the number of named storms and their intensity.

The hurricane season, which officially starts June 1 and runs through Nov. 30, could put a tremendous strain on our health care system as coronavirus continues to spread.

Luis Ostrosky, MD

“Whenever there is a hurricane, the medical community becomes acutely concerned with communicable diseases, such as diarrhea, tuberculosis, and meningitis, because many people may lose their homes and gather in large shelters, as we saw during Hurricane Harvey,” said Luis Ostrosky, MD, an infectious disease specialist with UT Physicians and professor of internal medicine and vice chair for Healthcare Quality at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. “The hospitals could be overwhelmed with those needing care during a hurricane as well as those suffering from COVID-19. This is why hurricane preparedness is going to be critically important this year.”

Despite some hope that COVID-19 will dissipate in warmer weather, Ostrosky says there is still a lot to learn about this disease, and the reality is we just don’t know.

“Don’t let COVID-19 impact your preparedness for hurricane season,” said Robert Emery, DrPH, vice president for Safety, Health, Environment, and Risk Management at UTHealth. “We have put together some helpful tips, so you and your family aren’t caught off guard.”

Gather the essentials at home

Make sure you have plenty of water (at least 5 gallons), a three- to five-day supply of food, including baby food or formula if needed, and prescription medications.

Gather safety items like a battery-powered radio, first-aid kit, flashlights, and supplies to make drinking water safe (iodine tablets or chlorine bleach).

Make copies of your important papers and store them in freezer bags and then put them in the actual freezer, ensuring they are safe from fire, flood, and wind.

Obtain copies of your prescriptions or place empty medication bottles in the freezer as well.

When it comes to paper, it’s important to have cash on hand in case there is a severe power outage and ATMs go offline.

Have an evacuation plan ready

You may live in a part of town that is required to evacuate during a hurricane. If that’s the case for you and your family, plan in advance where you’re going and only take what you really need, such as: